Pac-12 has 13 players selected for 2017 Bednarik watch list

Three members of USC’s defense have been selected for the 2017 Bednarik Award watch list, the third-most selections of any school in the country. Ohio State and Florida State each have four.

Overall, the Pac-12 has 13 players on the watch list for the award given to the best defensive player in college football. While USC was the only Pac-12 school with three players listed, three others schools in the conference — Utah, Stanford and Washington — had two apiece.

The Pac-12 has had two players win the award since the inaugural Bednarik Award in 1995 — USC linebacker Rey Maualuga in 2008 and Arizona linebacker Scooby Wright III in 2014.

Semifinalists for the award will be revealed Oct. 30, and the three finalists will be announced Nov. 20. The winner will be named Dec. 7.